Yemeni leader visits KSrelief, launches new aid projects for Yemen

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi and his accompanying delegation visited the headquarters of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in Riyadh on Monday. He was received by Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, Supervisor General of KSrelief, along with several officials, ambassadors, and representatives from UN agencies.

Al-Alimi expressed the Yemeni people's gratitude to Saudi Arabia, led by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the humanitarian assistance provided to Yemen through KSrelief and the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen. He stressed that these efforts have reached all regions and groups without discrimination.

Al-Alimi praised the "Masam" project for clearing landmines in Yemen, noting it had received the country's highest honors for its role in protecting civilians. He also said KSrelief had become a source of pride for Saudi Arabia and the world.

For his part, Al-Rabeeah stated that KSrelief has implemented 4,525 projects in 113 countries, including 1,238 projects in Yemen with a budget exceeding $4.8 billion, in cooperation with 362 UN, international, and local organizations. He added that Saudi Arabia has led donor countries supporting Yemen over the past decade, contributing more than $29 billion.

Al-Rabeeah noted that humanitarian work in Yemen faces major challenges due to the intransigence of Houthi militias, who have blocked aid deliveries and detained humanitarian workers. He called on the United Nations and the international community to pressure the militias to open humanitarian corridors, especially in Taiz province.

Al-Alimi then attended the launch of a new package of relief and humanitarian projects and 100 volunteer programs to be implemented by KSrelief in Yemen in the coming period. These include the distribution of 250,000 food baskets, 25,000 shelter kits, and 17,500 tents, as well as the supply of millions of liters of drinking water in Lahij, Taiz, and Aden provinces. Additional initiatives include medical and housing projects for displaced people and volunteer medical and educational programs, benefiting 3,435,000 individuals.

The volunteer programs also cover specialized surgeries, blindness prevention, cochlear implants, hearing rehabilitation, training, and education, benefiting 265,000 people across various Yemeni provinces.

The visit concluded with Al-Alimi touring the offices of KSrelief's partner organizations and international agencies, where he was briefed on the nature of joint humanitarian work.